Living a Dream
by Kristen3
Summary: Set immediately after "Final Approach." Joe and Helen take off, both literally and figuratively, for their new life in Vienna. It's a dream come true, in more ways than one. Fluffy one-shot. Dedicated with love to Aria (crazysockmonkeys)!


**Author's Note: **This fluffy little story is dedicated to Aria (crazysockmonkeys). I just couldn't resist the opportunity to write another _Wings_ story in honor of the birthday of one of my favorite authors! *Hugs*

Helen still couldn't believe it. Everything had happened so fast. When she'd been offered the opportunity to study the cello full-time in Vienna, she thought Joe would never agree to go. Sandpiper was his life. All of their friends and family were on Nantucket. Even though it meant the world to her, Helen was prepared to sacrifice this chance. Working at the airport was dull, but it was comfortable. It might not be anywhere close to playing with an orchestra, but she wasn't unhappy with her life. She was married to Joe. They'd been best friends since they were ten. A marriage like theirs didn't come along every day.

Now they were thirty thousand feet above the Atlantic, on their way to Europe. Until now, Helen's music career had been a series of failures. To the point that, when her cello sank into the ocean, she was almost grateful to be free of it. But her love of music would not go away. She had always believed that one day, music would turn out to be her calling. The same way flying had been Joe's.

"Are you scared?" Joe asked. Helen had barely said a word since they'd boarded in New York.

"A little," she admitted. "But I'm mostly excited. I've dreamed about playing my music full-time since I was a little girl." Tears began to fill her eyes, remembering all the hours of practice and the countless rejections that had led to this.

Joe kissed her. "I know. I've had my dream, with Sandpiper. It's time you got to do what you've always wanted."

Helen sighed as the kiss ended. "But you had to leave everyone. Even Brian. Aren't you worried, with him in charge?"

He considered the question for a moment. "Surprisingly, no. Brian and I are different. _Very_ different." Joe chuckled. "But I think this may be the one time he doesn't screw up. Besides, he's got Fay."

"Oh, God, Joe, what about Fay? What if something happens to her while we're in Vienna?"

Joe put an arm around her as best he could in the cramped airplane seats. "Then I promise we'll come back. But, honey, Fay's not going anywhere. She's outlived three Georges, _and_ survived eight years with Roy. She's pretty indestructible."

"I know I'm being silly. It's not like I haven't done this before. I mean, I _did_ live in New York for ten months."

"Everything's going to be fine. This will be an adventure. Remember when we were kids, and we went into the woods?"

Helen nodded. "I wanted to kill Brian every time!" When the three of them would walk in the woods after dark, Joe's younger brother did his very best to scare Joe and Helen. It usually worked.

"Actually, I kind of liked it," said with a smile. "You used to hold my hand."

She took hold of his hand. The small gesture comforted her. "You always told me everything would be OK. I trusted you to keep me safe."

"And I did, didn't I?"

Helen leaned over and kissed him for a long moment. As she did, memories played in her mind. Their first date at Indian Point. The kiss they shared when Joe came to congratulate Helen on her engagement to Davis. And later, when Joe chased her to New York City, desperate to stop her from marrying someone else. Throughout all of the ups and downs in her life (and there had been many, between her weight, and her music career), Joe was always there. Whether he was kissing her tears away, or simply being a friend to listen, Joe never let her down.

As a little girl, Helen had often prayed that one day, she would grow up and marry Joe Hackett. It was a secret she'd never told anyone, not even the Hackett brothers themselves. But somewhere along the way, she'd given up on that childhood fantasy. Real life simply didn't work that way. Her music career had taught her that.

At times, it seemed as if everyone in the Nantucket airport was stuck in some way. They all dreamed of something bigger than their little island. Gradually, they each came to accept that their lives were going nowhere. With few exceptions, they'd never left, never done anything important, really.

But now, here Joe and Helen were, on their way to start a new life in a new country. Finally, Helen was going to live out her dream. It was amazing, something most people go their whole lives without ever experiencing.

"Actually, I've been living my dream ever since you asked me to marry you," Helen whispered. She rested her head on his shoulder. Her eyes closed, and soon, she was fast asleep.

For a moment, Joe could do nothing but watch his wife peacefully sleeping. He leaned over, kissing her hair. "My dream came true when you said yes."

**The End**


End file.
